Picking the Perfect Podiatrist

I knew that I needed to choose a podiatrist when I reached a point where I could no longer stand for the entirety of an eight hour shift at work. My job required me to be on my feet all of the time, and I just couldn’t do it any longer. I wanted to get back to my normal level of activity, so I talked to a friend who had had similar foot problems, and visited their podiatrist.
It turned out that I had bunions, and they were affecting my ability to stand for long periods of time. The podiatrist taught me how to choose special shoes and how to change the way I walked so that I would have less pain. Someday I may have to consider bunion surgery, but for now my podiatrist and I have it under control, and I’m back to work.

Four Often-Overlooked Early Signs Of Alzheimer's

Posted on:
8 August 2017

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Although researchers have not yet found a cure for Alzheimer's Disease, there are medications that can very effectively manage the condition and slow the rate at which it becomes worse. The problem is that these medications work best when the patient begins taking them early on in the progression of Alzheimer's. And many patients are not diagnosed until a bit later on because their family members miss the earliest signs of the condition. To ensure the elderly adults in your life get the treatment they need, keep an eye out for these often-overlooked, early signs of Alzheimer's:

Telling the same stories over and over.

Your parent or grandparent has told you the story before, but you just humor them and don't think anything of it, writing it off as normal dementia. But in fact, telling the same stories over and over can be an early sign of Alzheimer's. The person may pretend they remember telling the story before if you remind them of this fact, or they might deny ever having told the story. In either case, you should consider Alzheimer's as a possibility.

They stop cooking.

Often, when older adults stop cooking, their loved ones assume it's due to mobility issues. But sometimes it's because they struggle to follow the recipe or remember how to complete basic cooking tasks. Alzheimer's is best known for its effects on memory, but it really impacts the ability to follow directions, too.

They stop calling you by name.

If your loved one used to call you by name but no longer does, it could be because it is taking them too long to remember your name. They're afraid of calling you the wrong name, so they just don't use one at all. Of course, if they begin calling you the wrong name frequently, that can also be a sign of Alzheimer's Disease.

They don't remember what day or time it is.

This symptom often goes unnoticed because other assume the older person is forgetting what day it is because they don't have work or other obligations that cause them to follow a weekly schedule. But if your loved one does not seem to know whether it's Sunday or Tuesday, 10 am or 2 pm, this is a reason to talk to their doctor about Alzheimer's.

If your loved one displays any of the signs above, make sure you have them tested for Alzheimer's. They may very well be just fine, but it's worth your while to know for sure.